Struggles of Love
Chapter03
A Strange Encounter
Sunday, 6:15 a.m.
Kaiba Mansion
Seto Kaiba's Bedroom
His eyes fluttered open, as he remained in his bed. He lay there listening to the silence around him. No noise outside or in the house...He was the only one awake, it seemed, just like every morning. Not even the sun was up...But this time it was different. It was a different kind of quiet...A lonely quiet.
"What am I going to do? Tomorrow is Monday... Monday. We have two classes together...I already skipped all of last week..." Seto growled, sitting up. "I can't let her do this to me...I have a life outside of her...If she got rid of those things I sent her...Then, so what? My life doesn't revolve around her." He whispered. Staring up at the ceiling, he lay back down...'My life may not, but what about my heart..?' He thought to himself.
He grabbed the pillow and placed it over his face, "...I don't know what to do anymore!" He shouted in the pillow. 'I love her, but I hurt her...She hurts me, but that's different. She doesn't love me... She always says she does but in the end she always berates everything I do for her.'
Ten minutes of utter silence passed by, and he threw the pillow off his face. Sitting up, he took a deep breath. "I didn't mean to break us up, I hate myself for doing that, I hate myself for all those things I said to her..." 'God, I wish I could take those things back. If I could go back, then I would tell her how much I love her, I would apologize.' He sighed and stared ahead at nothing. 'But, I can't do that...I can't change the past...No matter how badly I want to...'
Flashback-12 Days Ago
Kaiba Mansion 5:42 p.m. --Sunday
He walked into his home,
exhausted from the long trip. His Personal butler, William, greeted him, taking
his coat. "Welcome back, Master Kaiba. How was your trip?" "Very exhausting,
however...I did achieve what I had set out to do. Have there been any new
developments, or any changes since I've been away?" "No sir. However, Miss
Gardner is waiting for you in the living room." "Thank you, William. You
may go now." William nodded, and left. Seto proceeded to the living room. As he entered through the room,
he saw her, sitting on his sofa. He smiled, but it slowly faded. As he neared,
--his footsteps echoing slightly across the room-- she quickly rose to her
feet, and turned to face him. Seto was taken aback, at the anger that showed
itself on her face. "Where the hell have you
been!" She shouted, her hands on her hips. Seto's eyes narrowed. He was
already tired, from the long airplane ride, and the fact that he'd been away
for over a month, "What is with the attitude?" "My attitude is just fine!
But, you...How can you just leave like that!" "Like what?" His
voice rose slightly. He was expecting her to welcome him back, not to scream
and shout. "Don't act like you don't
know! You left to God knows where, for over a month! A month! I've been here,
alone for thirty-somethin' days! You bastard!" Seto folded his arms across his
chest, "Don't you ever call me that. I don't know what your problem is but
I don't allow profanity in my house." "I don't care about your
damn rules! Are you not even going to try to explain yourself!" "What is there to explain?
I left for a couple of weeks--on business. I told you I was. So, why are you
acting like this?" "You didn't tell me
anything! Even if you did, you put me on hold, to be with your business
partners! You just put our relationship on hold for almost two months!" "You act as if I wanted to
go! For your information, those weeks were living hell!" "Then why did you stay!
You should've come back!" "I can't just come
back!" "Why! Because you didn't
want to see me!" Tears rolled down her cheeks, but she violently wiped
them away. Seto growled, "How dare
you say that to me! You and Mokuba were the only two I wanted to see!" He
yelled sincerely. He was growing irritated with this conversation. "Then why didn't you come
back if it was so horrible there?" He laughed for a second in
bewilderment. "What is your problem? You really live in a fantasy world,
don't you! I can't drop everything just because I hated it." "Oh, but, you can push us
to the side for your work though you claim to hate it?" "You're twisting my words!
I don't understand where all this is coming from! You know I have to work! You
know I leave on business, so where is all this anger coming from!" "I'm sorry. I forgot how
your mind works! Your work comes first, then comes power, followed by your own
pathetic self...Then finally Mokuba and me! We aren't as important as yourself
and your work!" She fumed folding her arms rigidly against her chest. Seto slammed his fist against
the wall. He was far passed exhausted and angry, he deserved something the
total opposite of being yelled and criticized, he thought. "You bitch! How
the Hell can you even say that! Nothing is more important to me than you and
Mokuba!" But she didn't say anything just
turned her face in the other direction. She at them moment didn't believe him.
He growled and glared at her, "I work to keep Mokuba and myself off
the streets, and ever since you came into my life, you've become as important
to me as he is!" He walked up going around the sofa, and came up to a foot
in front of her. "For you to say that tells me how ignorant you are! I
come back, after several weeks of hell, missing you, and you have the nerve to
question my feelings for you. Not only you, but Mokuba as well!" He shook his
head, "Your crossed the line. By calling me a liar and making these cruel accusations
on my character, and for degrading my feelings for Mokuba. The nerve you built
up to even talk about him and me in that manner is ridiculous." He hissed
quietly but grimly. "I want you out of here." He stated simply. Tea backed up, not bothering to
wipe the tears that fell down her face. She turned her face away from his but
didn't move. She was shaking and trembling all over. He growled, "What's
the matter? Did you not hear me? I said get out! Oh, and while you leave, don't
ever come back! You hear me! If you can't deal with me as I am, then there's
no point in continuing this 'relationship'!" "I hate you!" She
shouted, pushing passed him and running out of the room.
Present Day
Gardner
Home
7:16 a.m. Sunday
Tea awoke to the smell of pancakes and sausage. Her eyes opened, and she found herself lying down on her couch, she slowly stood and peered into the kitchen. Her round blue eyes widened. "M-Mai? You're still here?"
Mai, dressed in a white apron, pouring pancake batter into a pan, raised an eyebrow. She sighed. "I'm sorry, do you want me to leave?" She asked, pretending to be offended.
Tea walked into the kitchen laughing lightly, "No. Not at all. I'm sorry; I just thought you would have gone home. Don't tell me you stayed here all night..." She asked feeling a bit guilty for drifting off on her.
"Of course I did. You honestly don't think, that I'd leave you alone, do you? Sweetie, I know you and him have been broken apart for over a week, and I haven't been here for ya. Which, I am so very sorry for. But, now that I am here, I will not leave your side, 'til you can walk outside and smile again."
"Thanks, Mai. I've missed you." She hugged her from behind with a big smile on her face.
"Same here. Now enough of this mushy stuff, Go sit down and breakfast will be ready in a few minutes."
Tea smiled, "Ok. But, I'm gonna go check the mail real quick."
"Ok."
Tea left the kitchen and slipped on her house shoes, but as soon as she opened the door, she stopped in her tracks. "...Uh, M-Mokuba? What are you doing here?" She asked, trying to smile.
Mokuba's face was a very serious one- almost as serious as Seto's. "Good morning, Tea. I'm sorry to barge in like this, but we have to talk. Please, can I come in?" His tone was of the emotionless type, again like Seto's.
Tea blinked a couple of times, and after a few seconds of being stunned, let him in. "Come on in, Mokuba. What did you want to talk about?" She asked, closing the door behind him.
"Seto."
Tea gulped and smiled nervously. "What about him?"
"I came here to discuss Seto with you. You and I need to talk about him...and you."
Tea stood there, a bit flustered; Mai heard the two and left from the kitchen to the front door, "Mokuba, what're you doin' here, sweetie?" Her voice was cheerful despite the unsettling tension in the air.
Mokuba looked over and gave her a small smile. "Good morning, Mai. I came here to talk with Tea, but I guess it wouldn't matter if you heard what I had to say." He replied, walking toward the living room. Tea and Mai exchanged confused glances.
